iTunes Connect Developer Guide

Replacing Your App with a New Version

When you’re ready to distribute a new version of your app, you upload the new app binary version into the same iTunes Connect record you created for the app’s previous version. Updated versions keep the same Apple ID, iTunes Connect ID (SKU), and bundle ID as the original version. You can update the metadata used in the store for the new app version and add a description of the new version’s features. Updated app versions are available free to customers who purchased a previous version.

Adding a new version of an app is similar to adding the first version, except that you can set additional options:

What’s New in this Version.
When adding a new version, you provide version-specific text to augment the app description in the store.

iCloud availability.
If you are updating an app for legal or usability reasons, you can indicate that you don’t want a previous version of the app to be available on iCloud.

Creating the Next App Version in iTunes Connect

You can add a new version of an app when the current version’s status is Ready for Sale or Developer Removed from Sale. The new app version goes through the same review process as the first version.

Note:
If you find a problem with the binary whose status is Waiting for Review or In Review, you can remove the binary from review and upload a revised version of the app without starting a new version. See Removing a Build from Review.

Only the team agent or users with an Admin or Technical role can add a new app version. If your user account doesn’t have the appropriate role, you don’t see the My Apps section on the iTunes Connect homepage. Contact a user in your organization with an Admin role to give you the right access. See Viewing, Editing, and Deleting iTunes Connect Users.

To add an updated version of an app

As an iTunes Connect user with an Admin or Technical role, sign in to iTunes Connect.

On Versions, click the New Version button in the top-right corner of the page.

You will see the New Version button only if the current version of the app is Ready for Sale or Developer Rejected. If the app has not completed the app review process—it has a status such as Prepare For Submission or Waiting For Review—you can replace the binary in the existing version instead of adding a new version. See Removing a Build from Review.

In the New Version dialog, enter the new version number. (This will be the version number shown in the App Store.)

Click Create.

A new Versions pane shows you the information you just entered, with existing metadata from the current version automatically transferred. Properties you can change are in editable fields.

If there’s missing information required to save the new version information, you see messages at the top of the page describing the issues. For example, if iTunes Connect has additional requirements since you submitted the previous version, you see messages indicating what new information is required.

In the section with errors, update the values. For a few properties such as Rating and License Agreement, you have to click Edit before you can enter the new values. Click Save.

When all errors are resolved, and a build has been added to the new version, the Submit for Review button will be visible.

Uploading the New Binary

After you’ve prepared your iTunes Connect record for a new app version, you’re ready to upload the updated binary for the new version; see Uploading a Binary for an App.

Important:
In order to use iTunes Connect for TestFlight beta testing, you must submit your app using the latest App Store Distribution profiles that contain the beta entitlement. To regenerate your App Store distribution profile, visit the Member Center; see “Beta Testing Your iOS App” in the App Distribution Guide.

After the binary is uploaded, the App Details page shows the app currently for sale with the status Ready for Sale and the version just added with the status Prepare for Submission. The page will show at most two app versions.

Preventing App Versions from Appearing in iCloud

You can indicate a legal or usability issue with a version of your app to make sure that the version is excluded from being pushed to existing customers on iCloud.

If the version of your app whose status is Ready for Sale has a legal or usability issue, you must submit an update for the app and indicate the issue with the previous version when submitting the new version. If you are unable to submit an update, you must remove it from sale.

To disable a version of an app for availability through iCloud

On your App Details page, click Pricing.

At the bottom of the page, click “Manage iCloud download settings for this app.”

A list of the existing versions of the app opens.

Select the app version or versions that you want to disable on iCloud.

Specifying When App Versions Are Released

You can specify when you want to release an app version to the store by using iTunes Connect version release control.

On Versions, you are shown the two options for version release control: automatic or manual. The options appear in the Version Release section at the bottom of the page.

If you choose to automatically release your app update, that app is posted to the store as soon as it’s approved by Apple (pending the availability date you have set).

If you choose to manually control the version’s release, your app status changes to Pending Developer Release after it’s approved by Apple, indicating that you can manually release it to the store when you’re ready.

To release a Pending Developer Release version to the store

As an iTunes Connect user with an Admin or Technical role, sign in to
iTunes Connect.

Note:
If you have an app in the Pending Developer Release state for longer than 30 days, you receive an email reminder from Apple. If you decide that you don’t want to release a Pending Developer Release version, remove your binary by clicking Cancel This Release and upload a new one. See
Removing a Build from Review.